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I always hated third shift. It messed up every phase of my life. Never felt right, never slept right, getting sleepy at bad times as well as awake when you want to be sleeping. The worse part was it REALLY screwed up vacations and days off. Lots of people do like it though for reasons mentioned above. It was like living upside down for me.
night shifts are great, come home crawl straight in bed, wake up around noon- one, got nine hours to play before having to leave for work
^That definitely didn't work for me!
There is growing research that working nights long-term has many negative impacts. Obviously it will not affect everyone the same way but more often than not...
I worked nights for five years and I really hope I do not have to go back to it. I tried my hardest to stay on a schedule even on my days off but it really sucked. Sitting around on my nights off at 3 AM with not a damn thing to do for hours on end, not being able to be awake past 2 PM on my days off, etc. Most of my coworkers who worked nights functioned terribly and would doze off in a few seconds due to the lack of sleep/dealing with kids. We constantly got up and down and moved around most days but seriously, my coworker would start to doze if she sat still for ten seconds.
Now I work evenings and what a difference. Same differential pay but I function more normally, enjoy the entire day on my days off with people and on my day off, I can go outside and enjoy the day.
I liked the quiet and lack of management at nights but physically? Awful. My first night job I gained fifteen pounds in a year and a half because my eating/sleeping/etc. was so out of whack.
Night shift more deleterious to your health? IMO, the day shift is more deleterious to your health!
I've worked the nightshift 10p-6a for 15-16 years and if I was forced to work the day shift, they'd have to pay me $5 more an hour.
In Las Vegas, I sleep every day from 10am/11am to 6/7pm. Breakfast at 9pm! I built 4 walls around my bed, with a wooden roof, with insulation for soundproofing, in addition to blacked out windows. With a little melatonin and a Tylenol pm, I sleep uninterrupted for 7-8-9 hours.
I sleep away the heat of the summers, I'm not out battling the traffic, I drive to work on the freeways at 9:40pm, and the freeways are pretty much cleared off of traffic, and at 6am the freeways are still not congested. I do my shopping after work, grocery stores here opening at 6am, and Wal-Marts open 24 hours.
I'm so addicted to the night shift lifestyle that I've gotten to despise daylight saving time, as I only want to get out of bed when the sun goes down. I get 4 hours of sunshine in the morning, that's enough!
Yes, the problems arise when I go out of town for a few days, to experience being a normal human being, reversing my sleep schedule, and reversing it when I return.
Ah! How I enjoy my bike rides from 1am to 4am, safest time to be out riding a bike, no traffic!
They find that long term night shift work correlates with weight gain, hypertension, heart disease and stress. Lots of chronic health probables correlate with that schedule.
Maintaining a regular schedule, eating well and staying active are crucial for this type of schedule.
I worked 3:30pm-12am (or 2am if we had to work OT) for four years and it didn't have any negative effect on my health. In fact, I slept much better because I naturally sleep better during the day. I've had many more issues since going on a regular day shift. So I don't really buy that.
My neighbor works 7pm till 3am and hates it! When she's off it takes a toll. She also has 2 kids so she gets maybe 5 hours of sleep if she' lucky. Make sure you can actually train your body to sleep during the day otherwise don't take the job! You said sleeping at night is better for your anxiety so I'm not understanding why you would consider working nights then??
Grow up many people work 3rd shift, factories that run3 shifts, hospitals are open 24/7 someone has to work nites and power plants never close. In my day when I started working in the eary70’s you took what any shift you could get just to have a job. People are to dam picky about jobs today they are more concerned about their social life than making a living there will be plenty of time to relax when you retire, I worked any job any hours and any shift , I had a family to support, I had plenty of social time on the weekends the rest of the week was a work week not a party week.
What's with the anger? Did you read the post properly? The OP said he/she is seriously considering the night shift and is asking for suggestions on managing a night schedule. There are studies that states that night shift impacts your health. The OP has a right to be concerned about his/her health. Why not give suggestions instead of being disgruntled
I am thinking more seriously about getting a night shift job instead of my current day job. I am trying to figure out if this change in schedule would negatively effect how I function. There is research that says that working night shifts for a considerable amount of time can be costly for a person's health. I don't think a year would have that much of an impact on my health. Would it?
Here is the catch. I tend to have anxiety attacks at night. I feel more uneasy going to bed at night when it is dark. This may be a weird phase that I am going through. However, if me changing shifts is going to exacerbate my anxiety then I will continue to work the day shift. I'm also a hermit and feel that getting out in the day is better for me. Yet, at the same time I wonder if working a night shift will satisfy my solitary needs.
So, for those who have done it. How long did you do it for? Did it have lasting effects? Would you do it again? What characteristics should an individual carry if they decide to work the night shift?
Thanks!
Don't work graveyard UNLESS you're in the type of job that you have no choice...like essential personnel like firefighter,medical staff...people like that because other then that...it's NOT worth it.You don't have a social life...it's really difficult to force yourself to sleep during the day time...it's weird.I did it...I only lasted for a few months.If you live by yourself...it might be easier for you due to the fact that no one will be around to bother you during the day while sleeping.Higher pay is yet another reason some might look to work nights..
I worked 3:30pm-12am (or 2am if we had to work OT) for four years and it didn't have any negative effect on my health. In fact, I slept much better because I naturally sleep better during the day. I've had many more issues since going on a regular day shift. So I don't really buy that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by easy62
Never had that problem but I had a physical jobs that I did for 40 years and worked midnights many times. Did not have a desk job.
I know many people who worked night shifts. I have employees who work night ****s. I have worked night shifts.
The secret is to move your existing schedule to the hours of your night schedule and keep it that way. Unfortunately, the majority of people who go all stupid on night shift work is because they have no reals scheduled they keep and follow. You can't play night worker for 5 days and suddenly on your days off act as if you work days. If your night shift means getting up at 10 pm to be at work at midnight, and going to bed at going to bed at 2 pm to sleep and wake at 10 pm, you do the same on your days off. You also can't play after work before work and keep switching it up; pick one and stick to it. Sure it takes discipline and some sacrifices, but that is really what it takes.
This.
Once you start doing this, your nights off will feel just as short as if you were working the day shift.
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IMO, the day shift is more deleterious to your health!
